Alternating-current meter.



No. s43,|s2. 'Pate'nted Eeb. l3, I900. -a. A. SCHEEFFER.

ALTERNATING CURRENT METER.

(Application filed May 11, 1899.)

3 Sheets- SheQt l.

' (No Model.)

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No. 643,!62. Patented Feb. l3, I900.

G. A. SCHEEFFEB. ALTERNATING CURRENT METER.

(Application filed May 11, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shea 2.

No. 643,162. Patented Feb. l3, mop

G. A. SCHEEFFEB. ALTERNATING CURRENT METER.

(Application filed May 11, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Shook-Sheet 3-.

Nithh TATES. r PATENT FFICEQ GUSTAVE A. SOHEEFFER, F- PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DIAMOND METER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ALTERNATING-CURRENT METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,162, dated February 13, 19 00. Application filed May 11 1899. Serial No. '716,380. (No model.)

T0 60 whom it may concern.- of the objects of my invention to eliminate.

Be it known that LGUsTAvE A. SOHEEFFER, If a current of a given periodicity is being ima citizen of the United States, residing at Peopressed upon the consumption-circuit, eddyria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illicurrents are set up in the armature, which 55 'nois, have invented a certain new and useful vary in number and strength and in reactive Improvementin Alternating-GurrentMeters, effect upon the field with the current and (Case No. 13,) of which the following is a full, voltage. Upon increasing the periodicity of clear, concise, and exact description, referthe current the axis of the resultant magence being had to the accompanying drawnetization travels more rapidly, and conse- 6o ings, forming a part of this specification. quently produces more rapid rotation of the My invention relates to alternating-current armature. The armature reactions not weakwattmeters, and has for one object the elimiening in proportion to the increase 111 speed nation of defects heretofore existingin meters of the resultant, a faster rotation of the arof this class, and for its further object the immature than is commensurate with the curi5 provement in the construction of the meter rent consumed results. Oonverse1y,if thefrewhereby the construction is simplified and a quency be reduced the axis of the resulting perfect adjustment of the cooperating parts magnetism moves more slowly, but the remay be effected. duced speed of the axis of the resultant is Alternating-current Wattmotor-meters connot compensated for, by an increased reac- 7o 20 sist, essentially, in a recording element, as a tive efiect of the eddy-currents and a reduced disk or cylinder, to which the counting-train speed of the armature not commensurate is geared and which is arranged in a suitable with the current used results. magnetic field produced by exciting-windings I propose to overcome the defects above set placed in series with and in shunt to the forth as follows: I preferably initially adjust 25 Working or distributing conductors, the functhe meter so that its armature will rotate at tion of the shunt-coils being to establish an a slightly-faster speed than is commensurate alternating field of substantially constant with the current consumed when it is imstrength, while the magnetization produced pressed upon the circuit at the lowest freby the series Winding varies in its cycles acquency Within the design of the system. To 3o cording to the volume of current passing in secure this initial adjustment in a perfect the consumption-circuit, whereby the recordand convenient manner, I provide a mounting element is subjected to a resultant turning for the coils and core which permits of ing effort or torque due to the cooperation or their adjustment transversely to the axis of joint effects of the magnetizations produced rotation to adjust the amount of magnetic 5 by the series and shunt windings. flux through the armature. I provide a mag- A well-known type of alternating-current netic by-path which is adjusted properly to wattmeter is one in which a resultant field reduce the number of lines of force that would due to two component fields differing in otherwise thread the armature, and inorder phase is employed to rot-ate the armature or to secure the best results I employ in place o record-ing element, the resultant field shiftof the cylinder heretofore used a thin disk ing or rotating, and thereby producing the. composed, preferably, of aluminium. Byprorotation'of the armature. The employment viding this by-path or magnetic shunt I am of a rotating or shifting field for the operaenabled to secure the proper speed. By tion of meters is objectionable for several means of the magnetic shunt a certain pro- 5 5 reasons, among the most important of which portion of the lines of force follow the path is that it is practically impossible to mainprovided thereby, the proportion increasing tain a proportionate rate of rotation of the upon increasing the frequency, so that while armature with the current consumed if the there are more frequent armature reactions current should be supplied to the mains at the strength thereof is reduced, so that the 50 widely-varying frequencies. The following turning effort is governed by the strength of theory may explain the error which it is one these armature reactions, which varies in accordance with the frequencies. The resistance of the magnetic by-path of course should not be so low as to shunt all of the lines of force from the armature.

In accordance with my invention I cause the magnetic axes of the component magnetizing forces to pass through the disk longitudinally of its axis of rotation, and by this arrangement and the construction I employ there is not created in the operation of the meter a rotating field, whereby I have been enabled still further to eliminate the error above referred to.

By another feature of my invention I am enabled to adjust the reactions between the fields created by the shunt-windings and the eddy-currents due to these fields, whereby a perfect adjustment of the torque of the armature to overcome friction, &c., may be effected.

I will explain my invention and additional features thereof more particularly by reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a View in elevation of the meter constructed in accordance with the invention, its connections with the working circuit being indicated diagrammatically. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of a meter constructed in accordance with the invention, certain parts being broken away and removed, more clearly to show the relative arrangement of the laminated bodies employed.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the different figures.

The field-magnet core a is preferably made up of a number of U-shaped laminae held together by suitable clamping devices and mounted in a carrier-piece b, which is secured to the casing c by a winged clamping-nut d engaging a threaded stem extending from the carrier-piece. The saidstem passes through a slot extending radially from the axis of rotation of the armature-disk e, so that the number of lines of force threading the armature-disk may be regulated by the transverse adjustment of the said core. Upon each limb of the core is placed a coil f of fine wire, which are included in series with each other and in a bridge of the working conductors. These coils preferably have the same number of turns and are preferably disposed symmetrically with relation to the axis of rotation of the disk, whereby the reactions between the lines of force at each limb or pole of the core and each set of eddy-currents are equalized, so that when there are no lamps or other translating devices in circuit there is no turning effort exerted upon the disk, as the reaction at each pole counteracts the reaction at the other.

Aseries coil 9 is included in circuit with one of the main conductors between the source of current and the translating devices and is preferably placed upon the same side of the disk with the shunt-coils, between the same and the disk, all of the coils being preferably transverse to the axis of the disk. The series coil is preferably coreless. The shunt and series coils in inductive relation to the disk are preferably located upon one side of the axis of rotation of the disk. By placing the shunt and series windings upon one side of the disk I am enabled accurately to produce more effective armature reactions.

Assuming that the meter is to be employed in connection with a working circuit upon which alternating current is conveyed at a uniform frequency, any suitable means will answer for completing the magnetic circuit for the lines of force threading the core a, whose pole-faces are preferably adjacent to the periphery of the disk, and I will therefore complete the description of the meter as it might be constructed for operation in connection with currents of uniform frequency.

The armature is subjected to effective turning effort upon the closure of circuit through the series coil, occuring when a translating device or devices are included in circuit in the working circuit. To adjust the armature reactions, I employ two torque devices consisting of U-shaped strips h and 't' of magnetic material, preferably sheet-iron, mounted to swing upon shafts 7i; and Z, that may be secured in any position to which they are rotated. These U-shaped strips inclose the disk at its periphery, each being located near one of the poles of the core a and each serving to modify the armature reactions, especially those occurring at the adjacent pole. Each strip exerts a turning effort upon the armature, tending to rotate the same in a direction opposite to that in which the other strip tends to rotate the armature, and by a proper relative adjustment of these strips I am enabled to counteract the effect of friction and properly to govern and adjust the reactions which might otherwise be faulty owing to structural and electrical defects. A U-shaped body m, made of laminated strips of sheet-iron, is provided upon the other side of the rotating armature, perpendicular or transverse to the plane of the armature, and afiords two paths for the lines of force. The base portion of the said magnetic body serves to close the magnetic circuit for the lines of force threading the disk. The limbs or extensions n n of the body wt engage the extensions of the body a, whereby a portion of the lines of force that would otherwise thread the disk are diverted in shunt-paths. 'If the engagement between the body a and the parts at n is direct, the engaging faces should be sufficiently oxidized to prevent all of the lines of force from threading the magnetic shunt. This same object maybe accomplished, where the engaging faces are not oxidized sufficiently, by means of thin fiber strips 2, Fig. 4, interposed between the opposed faces. The body wt thus acts in a double capacity, serving to afford a return-path for the lines of force threading the disk and acting to divert a proper number of lines of force in shuntpaths sufficiently to reduce the strength of the armature reactions to impart a proper speed to the armature. As the frequency increases, the resistance of the main magnetic circuit, including the armature and field-core a, increases, so that more lines of force are passed through the derived magnetic circuit, including the field-core common to both magnetic circuits and the magnetic shunt. The bodies a and m are mechanically united by brass strips 0, and the series coil is mechanically united with the shunt-coils and the bodies a and m by an angular strip 19. I prefor to reduce the length of the magnetic circuit by making the extensions of the bodies a and m as short as possible, a narrow space being provided between the poles of body a and the base of the body wt, in which the armature-disk may rotate. The relative mechanical adjustment of the series and shunt coils and the parts a and m may be effected before all of the parts of the meter are assembled, and these parts as a whole are adj ustable with the core a transversely to the axis of rotation of the disk, a support q for the body wt being provided, which cooperates with the fastening device (1 to effect this adjustment.

The shaft of the disk is mounted to rotate in any suitable form of jeweled bearings, the shaft being geared at its upper end to the counting-train r. This counting-train and the upper support for the shaft are mounted upon a supporting-plate s, inserted within slots provided in bosses t t, projecting from the casing of the meter, these slots permitting of the adjustment of the upper shaftbearing and the counting-train toward or away from the meter and also permitting of the sidewise adjustment of the said bearing and counting-train. Theadjustment after being secured is maintained by screws u passing partially through the said bosses into engagement with the supporting-plate s. In order to prevent too-rapid rotation of the armature, I provide a permanent magnet 11 for the well-known purpose of retarding the rotation of the armature, the heel portion of the magnet being adjustable transversely of the axis of rotation thereof, a clamp to permitting of this adjustment.

XVhilel have herein shown and particularly described one embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that changes may readily be made from the form of the invention shown and particularly described, and I do not there fore desire to be limited to the precise construetion shown; but,

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a shaft upon which the same is adapted to rotate; a measuring-train; a laminated magnetic core of U shape, lying in a plane transverse to the disk, the pole of said core being adjacent to one face of the disk; a mass of laminated iron placed in juxtaposition with said core on the opposite side of said disk and adapted to complete the magnetic circuit of said core; two shunt-coils of fine wire disposed about the core; a series coil located between the finewire coils and between the disk and the said fine-wire coils, all of said coils being located transversely to the axis of rotation of the disk; means for adjusting said U shaped core toward or from the axis of rotation of the disk to bring more or less of said disk into inductive relation to the said core, and a dampingmagnet arranged in proximity to the disk, said core and series coil being located upon one side of the shaft, and the said dampingmagnet being located opposite to said coils upon the other side of the shaft, substantially as described.

2. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a measuringtrain driven thereby; shunt and series windings in inductive relation to said disk; a magnetic core for said shunt-winding adjacent to one face of the disk, and a mass of magnetic material disposed adjacent to the opposite face of the disk and adapted to complete the magnetic circuit of said core, said windings, core and mass of magnetic material being directly mechanically united, substantially as described.

3. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a measuringtrain driven thereby; shunt and series windings in inductive relation to said disk; a magnetic core for said shunt-winding adjacent to one face of the disk and lying in a plane transverse thereto, a shunt-coil being about each polar extension of said core, the series coil being located between said coils and between the disk and the shunt-coils, and a magnetic body upon the other side of the disk to complete the magnetic circuit for the lines of force threading the said core, substantially as described.

4. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a measuringtrain driven thereby; shunt and series windings in inductive relation to said disk; a magnetic core for said shunt-winding adjacent to one face of the disk and lying in a plane transverse thereto, a shunt-coil being about each polar extension of said core, the series coil being located between said coils and between the disk and the sh lint-coils, and a magnetic body upon the other side of the disk to complete the magnetic circuit for the lines of force threading the said core, the said coils, core and magnetic body being directly mechanically united, substantially as described.

5. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a measuringtrain driven thereby; shunt and series windings in inductive relation to said disk; a magnetic core for said shunt-Winding adjacent to one face of the disk and lying in a plane transverse thereto, a shunt-coil being about each polar extension of said core, the series coil being located between said coils and between the disk and shunt-coils, and a magnetic body upon the other side of the disk, forming a magnetic shunt adapted to complete a magnetic circuit for the lines of force threading the disk and to divert lines of force into shunt-paths from the disk, substantially as described.

6. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a measuringtrain driven thereby; shunt and series windings in inductive relation to said disk; a magnetic core for said shunt-windings adjacent to one face of the disk and lyingin a plane transverse thereto, a shunt-coil being about each polar extension of said core, the series coil being located between said coils and between the disk and the shunt-coils, and a magnetic body upon the other side of the disk, forming a magnetic shunt adapted to complete a magnetic circuit for thelines of force threading the disk and to divert lines offorce into shuntpaths from the disk, the said coils, core and magnetic body being directly mechanically united, substantially as described.

7. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a measuringtrain driven thereby; shunt and series windings in inductive relation to said disk; a magnetic U-shaped core for said shunt-winding adjacent to one face of the disk and lying in a plane transverse thereto, a shunt-coil being about each polar extension of said core, and a magnetic U-shaped body upon the other side of the disk forming a magnetic shunt adapted to complete a magnetic circuit for the lines of force threading the disk and to divert lines I of force into shunt-paths from the disk, substantially as described.

8. In an alternating-current wattmeter, the combination with series and shunt coils, of an element or armature for actuatingthe recorder in inductive relation to the said coils, and two adjustable torque devices h i, each adapted to exert a turning effort upon the armature, tending to rotate the same in a direction opposite to that in which the other device tends to rotate the armature, whereby errors due to electrical and mechanical defects may be readily corrected, substantially as described.

9. Inarecording,measuringinstrument,the combination with a rotating shaft, of a measuring-train geared therewith; a supportingplate 5 for the said bearing and measuringtrain, slotted bosses t if, the slots in the bosses receiving the said plate, and fastening-screws u u to secure the plate and the bearing and measuring-train carried thereby in the position to which they may be adjusted, substantially as described. 1

10. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with series and shunt windings,of a rotating disk disposed perpendicularly with respect to the axes of magnetization due to said windings, said disk being located in position to have lines of force set up by the said windings thread the same, and means for shunting a portion of the lines of force that would otherwise go through the disk, substantially as described.

- 11. In an alternating -current meter, the combination with series and shunt windings, of a rotating disk disposed perpendicularly with respect to the axes of magnetization due to said windings, said disk being located in position to have lines of force set up by the said windings thread the same, and a derived magnetic circuit adapted to direct lines of force from the main magnetic circuit passing through the said disk, substantially as described.

12. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of series and shunt windings; a main magnetic circuit therefor for directing lines of force through the disk, and a derived magnetic circuit for shunting lines of force from the said disk, the axes of magnetization due to the said windings being perpendicular to the said disk, substantially as described.

13. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a magnetic core placed perpendicularly thereto; a shunt-winding; a series coil, and an additional magnetic body affording a derived circuit to direct lines of force from the disk, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a rotating disk, of a magnetic core disposed perpendicularly thereto; a shunt-winding upon the said core; aseries coil, and an additional magnetic body affording a path for the lines of force threading the disk and a shunt-path for diverting other lines of force from the disk, substantially as described.

15. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a U- shaped magnetic core disposed perpendicularly thereto; a shunt-winding upon the said core; a series winding, and a-second U-shaped magnetic body affording a path for the lines of force threading the disk and a shunt-path for diverting lines of force from the said disk, said magnetic bodies being located in proximity with each other, substantially as described.

16. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a measuring-train driven thereby; shunt and series windings disposed in inductive relation thereto and upon the same side thereof; a magnetic core for said shunt-winding, the pole faces of said magnetic core being at the periphery of and in proximity to the face of the disk, and means for adjusting said core together with the shunt-winding thereon in a plane transverse to the axis of the disk to bring more or less of the surface of the disk within the influence of said core, substantially as described.

17. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a meastiring-train adapted to be driven thereby; shunt and series windings disposed inductively to said disk; a magnetic core for said shunt-winding adjacent to one faceof the disk and at the periphery thereof; means for adj usting said core in a plane transverse to the axis of the disk to bring more or less of the disk within the influence of said core, and a mass of magnetic material upon the opposite side of the disk adapted to complete the magnetic circuit thereof, substantially as described.

18. In an alternating-current meter, the

- combination with a rotating disk, of a shaft upon which the same is adapted to rotate; a measuring-train; a laminated magnetic core of U shape, lyingin a plane substantially perpendicular to the disk, the poles whereof are adjacent to one face of the disk; a mass of laminated iron placed in juxtaposition with said core on the opposite side of said disk and adapted to complete the magnetic circuit of said core; a shunt-winding of fine wire on said core; a series coil of coarse wire, the latter coil being placed substantially parallel with the disk, and means for adjusting said laminated core in a plane transverse to the axis of rotation of the disk, substantially as described.

19. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating armature, of a measuring-train driven thereby; shunt and series windings disposed inductively to said core and a support for said windings, permitting the same to be adjusted toward or away from the axis of rotation of said armature in a plane transverse to said axis, thereby to bring more or less of the armature into inductive relation to said windings, substantially as described.

20. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with an armature, of a series coil of coarse wire; a shunt-winding of fine wire; a magnetic core about which said shuntwinding is disposed, and a mass of magnetic material disposed in juxtaposition with said core and adapted to complete the magnetic circuit thereof, said armature being subjected to the action of the fields created by said winding, the shunt-coilbeing placed transthe armature; a mass of laminated iron placed in juxtaposition with said core on the opposite side of said disk and adapted to complete the magnetic circuit thereof; means for adjusting said core together with the shuntwinding about the same in a plane transverse to the axis of rotation of the disk; a series coil of coarse wire also arranged in a plane transverse to the axis of rotation of the disk to produce a polar region having an axis practically at right angles to the plane of rotation, and a magnetic body near the face of said disk and in inductive relation to said core to produce an initial torque, substantially as de scribed.

22. In an alternating-current meter, the combination with a rotating disk, of a measuring-train operated thereby, shunt and series windings in inductive relation to said disk, and located upon the same side thereof, the series winding being coreless, a magnetic core for said shunt-winding adjacent to one face of the disk, and a mass of magnetic material'disposed adjacent to the opposite face of the disk and adapted to complete the magnetic circuit of said core, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of April, A. D. 1899.

GUSTAVE A. SCI'IEEFFER.

Witnesses:

W. J. H. ORIBB, J. M. ERION. 

